My Pursuit Of Medicine

I originally began my pursuit of medicine because of my interest in the sciences. As I explored various fields from psychology to public health, I found myself drawn to working with local hospitals. Following a few months of volunteering at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, my first experience witnessing the birth of a child significantly impacted my decision to pursue medicine.
It was a quiet Thursday night, but the Labor and Delivery unit was bright. Working with the nurse to prepare for an emergency C-section, I held the patient’s hand as she was given an epidural block. She smiled at me and thanked me for my help since it was her first pregnancy. The large beaming white lights shined on the patient’s pregnant abdomen. Within minutes, the physician began the procedure and gestured me to move closer to the operating table while she explained the procedure. I was amazed by the body’s capacity and durability. The physician continued her procedure and announced that she would now be making an incision into the patient’s uterus. I could see the baby’s head, full of hair, and tightly squeezed eyes as he prepared to leave his mother’s womb – it was a boy! The nurses carried the baby over to the mother, and I saw her exude pure joy when she first laid eyes on her son. At the same time, the physician resumed surgical work on the patient, diligently and precisely realigned each layer with stitches similar to a puzzle. In less than ninety minutes, an OBGYN saved the life of a mother and her newborn child who, moments ago, had taken his first breaths. The opportunity to be a part of the birth of a new life showed me that medicine is not only about treating an illness, but is also about the connections I can make with patients. When I saw the patient meet her baby for the first time and cry tears of joy, I was proud to partake in the process by giving compassion and reassurance that comforted the patient. The importance of the physician-patient relationship in carrying out successful treatments and procedures was perfectly demonstrated in these moments. Following college, I chose to expand my knowledge of …show more content…
Being a first-generation Chinese-American, the topic of sex is considered taboo. My knowledge about the female human body was limited during my youth because my parents struggled to explain puberty. I initially thought this was a peculiar issue, but I soon learned that my peers also had similar experiences. The pervasiveness of the issue is alarming, and my goal is to build the same relationship with patients that I was fortunate enough to have with my own physician. I had the same family physician since I was born until I moved for college. My physician-patient relationship was cultivated on shared decisions and frequent communication throughout my youth and early adulthood. The environment my physician created made me feel secure because of the time and effort he spent to discuss potential health issues and to provide the best solutions. Such high level of patient care and presence is the ideal representation of what I hope to promote within my community. My experiences will allow me to facilitate an open dialogue about health wellness for families hindered by cultural and language barriers and enable them to make more informed decisions. This will help improve public health by promoting youth development, reducing stigmas, and normalizing the conversation around sexual